There are a few different ways you could celebrate the start of summer. But if you fancy ringing in the new season with a couple of glasses of something fruity, fizzy and free, then we've got just the thing. On Sunday, December 1, the good folk at Moon Dog are treating fans to the ultimate summer starter: free serves of its Fizzer alcoholic seltzer varieties. Roll into either Moon Dog World or Moon Dog Wild West on the first day of summer with a BYO vessel in tow, and you can have it filled for free with takeaway Fizzer poured fresh from the taps. These two sites will also be hosting DJs throughout the arvo, making both of them damn good Sunday sesh destinations. And again this year, there's a heap of other Melbourne venues participating in the BYO Cup Day. You can also grab your free seltzers from Arcadia Hotel in South Yarra, The Pinnacle in Fitzroy, Railway Club Hotel in Windsor and more. In total, 16 Melbourne venues will join the Brew Dog crew for the giveaway. You can bring any old drinking vessel you fancy to the spots, be it a watering can, water bottle or, heck, even a hollowed-out upside-down pineapple — but keep in mind they'll only fill it up to 1140 millilitres (a standard jug amount). You'll also want to ensure your container is clean and water-tight to avoid any nasty leaks. Check out the venue's website to find all the participating venues where you can score some free seltzer on Moon Dog's Fizzer BYO Cup Day.
Bruce Willis and Ben Affleck trying to save the world from an asteroid? That's so 1998. Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence attempting to stop a comet from wiping out life as we know it? That's the premise of Netflix's new disaster comedy Don't Look Up, which thankfully isn't a sequel to the aforementioned Armageddon. Instead, it's the latest film from The Big Short and Vice director Adam McKay — and it's set to hit the streaming platform in December. If it sounds familiar, that's because Don't Look Up was one of the big-name movies on Netflix's lengthy list of new flicks heading its way in 2021, as it start teasing back in January. And yes, while plenty of the films named back then have already hit the platform given the year is now nine months in — movies such as Malcolm & Marie, The White Tiger, The Dig, The Woman in the Window, Army of the Dead and Moxie — the streamer really is making us all wait for its starriest picture of 2021. DiCaprio (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood) and Lawrence (X-Men: Dark Phoenix) play astronomy professor Dr Randall Mindy and his grad student Kate Dibiasky, who discover that a Mount Everest-sized comet is orbiting our solar system — and that it's on a direct collision course with earth. So, with just six months left until impact, they endeavour to tell everyone they can about the planet's impending demise, all by embarking upon a media tour. But the President (Meryl Streep, The Prom) and her son and Chief of Staff (Jonah Hill, The Beach Bum) barely seem to care, and neither does the public. Also featuring on-screen as the former "king of the world" and Katniss Everdeen try to save the world: Timothée Chalamet (Little Women), Cate Blanchett (Where'd You Go, Bernadette), Mark Rylance (The Trial of the Chicago 7), Tyler Perry (Those Who Wish Me Dead), Ron Perlman (Monster Hunter), Himesh Patel (Tenet), Melanie Lynskey (Mrs America), Kid Cudi (Bill & Ted Face the Music) and Ariana Grande. Yes, as seen in the just-dropped teaser trailer, this film does have quite the cast. Don't Look Up will hit Netflix just in time for your Christmas break, dropping on Friday, December 24. It'll also screen in some cinemas before that, if you'd like to see it on the big screen. And if you're wondering how the film will fare tonally, McKay looks like he's in The Big Short and Succession mode, rather than harking back to his Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby and Step Brothers days. That said, Blanchett does play a TV host, so maybe the filmmaker will have audiences thinking about Anchorman as well. Check out the teaser trailer for Don't Look Up below: Don't Look Up will be available to stream via Netflix on Friday, December 24, and in selected cinemas earlier in December. Image: Nico Tavernise/Netflix.
To the surprise of exactly no one: many of us are looking to upgrade our home comfort level at the moment. Aussie furniture brand Koala is keen to help you do just that, with its sixth birthday sale. Nab up to 20 percent off mattresses, sheets, sofas, desks and armchairs to help you upgrade your pad or improve your night's sleep. A heap of products from across the brand's range are on sale from Monday, September 20 through until Sunday, September 26, including Koala's new range of mattresses. You can take your pick from the freshly unveiled range of mattresses which are 15 percent off and have your new sleep set up delivered to you later that day with free express delivery. Also on offer is the WFH desk, which is made from Forest Stewardship Council certified wood, easy to assemble and designed with a home office in mind. If your home office set isn't quite doing the job, you can pick up the desk for a sweet 15 percent off. Comfy Koala armchairs, sofas, silky bed sheets, dining tables and more are going with a 20 percent discount, too, so you can give your whole house a makeover. And everything comes with a 120-night trial — though, it might be hard to give any of these up after four months of comfort. The party doesn't stop at the sale though, with Koala collaborating with Jimmy Brings to put on a birthday giveaway, hosting a cupcake class and a whole bunch more on the brand's Instagram account.
Welcome to Brunswick will accommodate both your stomach and your flaming sinuses at the day-long event that is the Hot Sauce and Chilli Festival. If spice is your mate and you think you can handle some of the hottest chilli situations Melbourne can throw at you, now's your time to prove your mettle. Some you'll even have to sign a waiver to taste, so you know they'll be life-affirming. There'll be sauce offerings from stalls such as Melbourne Hot Sauce, Hells Breath and Blair's Death Sauce. If you've come for the actual food side of things, you're in luck, too — if this year's fest is anything like past years, you won't go hungry. And drinks? Well, the bar team will be serving 'hot pocket' shots. That's what you'll need a waiver for (and maybe some milk, too). Brews will also be on the menu, if that's your tipple of choice. Head along from 12pm on Saturday, April 17.
There are plenty of reasons to run at night. It might be the only time you can get some exercise into a busy schedule, or maybe you prefer the cooler air and the opportunity to wind down after a full-on day at work. Whatever the reason, if you're a fan of pounding the pavements at night, you're going to need the right gear to keep you safe, warm and looking good. So, we've teamed up with Adidas to bring you some essential activewear that'll help motivate you to keep moving, even when the days get shorter and cooler. ADIDAS ULTRABOOST 21 ($270) No matter when or where you're running, you're going to need good support while you do it. That's where Adidas has your back — and foot — with the brand's new performance running shoe, Ultraboost 21. Made with high-performance recycled material (created from plastic found in the ocean), each pair of runners is designed to cushion impact, giving you a more responsive run with every step. Choose between cloud white, core black or solar yellow — we recommend the latter for amplified visibility at night. These super lightweight shoes will make you want to lace up and hit the streets with added vitality. FAEBELLA NOVA SERPENT LEGGINGS ($109) Just because you're running at night doesn't mean you can't look good while doing it. Grab yourself a pair of Faebella Nova Serpent Leggings, made in Brisbane from recycled lycra by a company that's wholly Indigenous owned. Part of the brand's Clarence River Serpent collection, the Nova Serpent design was inspired by the artwork of Gumbaynggirr and Yaegl woman 'Jingalu' Melissa Craig. They're super bright, making you more visible on your night run, and long enough to keep you warm. Plus, when you buy a pair, you'll be supporting artist Melissa Craig; Faebella ensures its artists receive sweet royalty fees for their work as well as an initial fee for the design. REFLECT360 ARM/ANKLE BANDS ($30) To truly make sure you're seen in the dark, strap on some reflective gear before you head out. We've picked these REFLECT360 arm and ankle bands as an easy accessory to add to your outfit that will reflects vehicle headlights or other lights you pass along the way. The bands come as a pair and you simply strap them on using the velcro fastening. They're also waterproof and durable, so if you find yourself in a little rain you'll still stay nice and visible to other runners, cyclists or traffic without the bands loosening or damaging over time. RED DUST ACTIVE REVERSIBLE HEADBAND ($29.89) This headband, made from a merino wool blend, will keep your ears warm on those colder nights and keep any long hair out of your face as you move. Plus, it'll absorb the sweat off your brow, keeping you dry too. It's also breathable, antibacterial and odour resistant so you don't have to worry about any pong as you fly past. The Australian company, Red Dust Active, designed the headwear with temperature regulation in mind — and, as it's reversible, you can wear it however you please. FITBIT FITNESS TRACKER ($179.95) A fitness tracker is a great way to keep a log of your running routes and fitness levels, especially if you're working towards any fitness goals. There are heaps to choose from, but we like the compact Fitbit Inspire 2, which fits snuggly around your wrist and connects to your phone's GPS to track real-time pace and distance. It'll buzz to let you know when you're entering your target heart rate, so you know how you're tracking while keeping a firm eye on the ground in front of you, which is especially important when you are running at night. NIMBLE RUNNING BUM BAG ($29) When running after dark, you're going to want to take your phone with you — and, it's a good idea to pack ID too. You'll also probably need an array of other essentials like cards, keys and maybe some chapstick. A running bum bag, like this one by Aussie activewear brand Nimble, will help you store all your goods around your waist and stay tight around your body, keeping in place while you hill sprint. It's small and sleek too, and comes in black, navy or taupe to suit your activewear wardrobe. Find out more about the new Ultraboost 21 runners and order your pair here.
After late night frivolities southside, duck into the cheap and cheerful Lucky Coq for an equally as cheap and cheerful pizza. With dim-lighting, electronic tunes and kitsch furniture, it's a pleasant venue to stop and recharge the batteries by hoeing into some greasy tucker. While the pizzas triple in price from their dirt cheap $4 price tag earlier in the evening, it's still the best place in Prahran for a vegetarian, meaty or seafood pizza right up until 2.30am.
If the extensive Asian food offerings at Box Hill Central weren't yet enough for you, the addition of DIY hot pot joint Little Sichuan will surely sate your need for noodle soup. Instead of ordering from the menu, you'll be given a large silver mixing bowl and tongs so you can out together your hot pot. You can choose your type of noodle — udon, egg or two-minute noodles — as well as your protein, veggies and any other additions. You pay by weight, so after filling up your bowl, step up to the front counter to weigh your food — it's costed at $3.28 per 100 grams. Then you can choose your broth, which is where you can choose your spice level, from the chilli-less chicken soup to the intense top-level 'sichuan spicy'. Just be prepared if you choose that last one. If you're looking for small snacks, why not try the Chinese burger, a fried homemade thin bao bun filled with your choice of minced beef or pork ($7.80 each), or the fried leek pie, a pan-fried dumpling dish with a unique pie folding ($4 for two pieces). Other options include the bean curd dumpling ($7.80), or the pan fried buns ($10.80 for six). Designed by EAT Architects, this restaurant incorporates light timber and lighting that takes you away from the crowds of the shopping centre and instead creates a busy dining experience. Over a steaming pot of noodle soup, it's the perfect place to warm up and people watch.
Melburnians, your weekend plans just got bigger and better, because the Victorian Government will scrap density limits in hospitality and entertainment venues from this weekend. Premier Daniel Andrews announced today, Thursday, February 17, that the current restrictions on venue capacities that have been in effect since early January will end at 6pm on Friday, February 18. For more than a month, the hospo and entertainment industries have been operating under a one person per two-square-metre density requirement, as you've no doubt noticed whenever you've left the house for a bite to eat or just for something to do. And, also in mid-January, the Victorian Government shut down dance floors, too — but Victoria will also no longer resemble the town from Footloose, Health Minister Martin Foley confirmed as well. Basically, get ready to do more things in more places with more people — including make shapes — from this weekend onwards, all thanks to the decreasing community transmission and hospital admission numbers. Victorian residents will also be able to stop checking in via QR codes in retail stores, schools and when going to work at many workplaces; however, that requirement isn't changing in hospitality and entertainment venues. [caption id="attachment_705595" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jake Roden, Visit Victoria[/caption] "We always said these measures wouldn't be in place for a minute longer than they are needed, and with hospitalisation numbers decreasing and less pressure on our health system, now is a sensible time to make changes," said the Premier. "These are safe and sensible measures which balance the need to support our health system with the benefits of easing restrictions across a range of settings," added the Health Minister. More rules are likely to ease next week, too, which Andrews and Foley both advised they hope to announce by next Friday, February 25 if the current trend of cases stabilises and continues. That'll ideally involve lifting mandatory mask-wearing in offices, and considering if it's appropriate to remove the recommendation that Victorians work from home. Victoria currently has 50,042 active COVID-19 cases, including 8501 new cases reported today, Thursday, February 17. Victoria's density, dance floor and QR check-in rules will ease at 6pm on Friday, February 18. For more information about the status of COVID-19 and the state's rules and restrictions, head over to the Department of Health and Human Services website. Top image: The Lame Duck, Jess Middleton.
Fresh from the success of their recent debut album, If You Wait, English indie-pop trio London Grammar are coming to Oz for Falls Festival, and even better, they're playing a couple of sideshows in Sydney and Melbourne. Sick of listening to the same playlists? Looking for a new band to fall in love with? This could be it. They’ve already generated a lot of praise for their singles 'Wasting My Young Years' and 'Strong'. Perhaps most recognisable by the brooding vocal soarings of frontwoman Hannah Reid (whose ethereal yet earthy voice is like a melding of Adele and Florence Welch), they are definitely a band to watch. I’d advise you to see them for cheap(ish) while you still can. Tickets for both the Sydney and Melbourne sideshows go on sale at 10am, Wednesday, 9 October, at Metro Theatre and Ticketek for Sydney and at the Prince Bandroom site for Melbourne. Tour dates: Sydney: Tuesday, January 7 – Metro Theatre Melbourne: Thursday, January 9 – Prince Bandroom
Obsession-worthy desserts and Gelato Messina go hand in hand, whether you can't get enough of the brand's revolving ice cream lineup or you're especially fond of its one-off treats. Here's one of the latter to tempt your tastebuds, and take you all the way back to your tuckshop days: a new cookie pie, this time in a honey joy version. No need to eat cereal for breakfast — instead, you can get your fix in this indulgent dessert, which'll also clearly serve up plenty of nostalgia. It features a choc chip cookie base, vanilla custard and crunchy honey joys. The word you're looking for? Yum. It's been a couple of years since the gelato chain first introduced its cookie pies to the world in 2020, and it sure does love bringing the OTT dessert back over and over. No, we're not complaining. We all need an extra dose of sweetness every now and then, clearly, including during a particularly frosty winter. Hang on, a cookie pie? It is indeed a pie, but it's made of cookie dough. And it serves four-to-six people — or just you. You bake it yourself, too, whacking it in the oven for 20–25 minutes at 160–180 degrees , so you get to enjoy that enticing smell of freshly baked cookies wafting through your kitchen. This time around, the Frankenstein's monster-style honey joy cookie pie really is exactly what it sounds like — and you can buy it by itself for $28, or in kits with some of the cult ice creamery's famed gelato to go along with it. You can opt for a 500-millilitre tub for an extra $12, a one-litre tub for an additional $21 or a 1.5-litre tub for an extra $23. If you're keen to get yourself a piece of the pie, they're available to preorder online on Monday, August 1. And, because Messina's specials always prove popular, the brand staggers its on-sale times. Accordingly, folks in Queensland and the ACT are able to purchase at 9am, Victorians at 9.15am, and New South Wales customers split across three times depending on the store (with pies from Surry Hills, Bondi, Randwick and Miranda on sale at 9.30am; Brighton Le Sands, Tramsheds, Parramatta and Darlinghurst at 9.45am; and Darling Square, Newtown, Norwest, Rosebery and Penrith at 10am). The catch? You will need to peel yourself off the couch and head to their local Messina store to collect your order. The pies will be available to pick up between Friday, August 5–Sunday, August 7. You can preorder a Messina honey joy cookie pie from Monday, August 1, to pick up from all NSW, Victoria and Queensland Gelato Messina stores.
Food and drink substitutions are generally associated with 'healthy' changes. But that doesn't always have to be the case — they can make the dish (or drink) more sustainable, less ordinary, or just more fun. On this list, we've highlighted some of the most unusual food and drink swaps that really shouldn't work, but do. They push the skill of chefs and cocktail makers into new territory and shake up classic dishes and drinks, all while maximising sustainability in the food industry by using up kitchen waste. We've partnered with Patrón to reveal that traditional isn't always best. By mixing things up, you may develop a love of a whole new flavour profile that — like with tequila — meets you at the intersection between refinement and craftmanship. [caption id="attachment_642741" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Chris Middleton[/caption] MAKE AN OLD FASHIONED WITH PATRÓN TEQUILA INSTEAD OF WHISKY Why not make your next old fashioned with Patrón? The Patrón Añejo — a blend of silver tequilas aged for at least one year — gets the same high-quality treatment as your favourite whiskies but offers a different flavour depth that complements the citrus of the orange zest we all know and love in an old fashioned. Just take 60 millilitres of Patrón Añejo, add ten millilitres of simple syrup and a dash of bitters. Make sure to squeeze the oils from two strips of orange and stir with the biggest ice cubes you can find. [caption id="attachment_666149" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Matinee Coffee by Arlo Pyne[/caption] LEAVE OUT THE EGG FOR VEGAN (AND NOT-SO VEGAN) ALTERNATIVES More and more we're seeing egg being replaced in popular dishes for unusual trade-offs. Don't worry, your favourite cafes will still serve eggs on toast — brunch is sacred — but sometimes it doesn't hurt to give an alternative a try. Sydneysiders can try it out at Marrickville's Matinee Coffee — the cafe does vegan and gluten-free takes desserts you might find at a milk bar or diner, like the traditional lemon meringue pie made with aquafaba (that's the juice from chickpea cans, foamed up like egg whites). Or, swinging the other way, try the very un-vegan, pasta at Peter Gilmore's Quay, which uses bone marrow in the pasta instead of egg yolk. [caption id="attachment_601484" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Nikki To[/caption] EAT CARAMEL SLICE MADE WITH COD FAT (YES, REALLY) Here is one food swap that we bet has never crossed your mind: a caramel slice made with fat from a Murray cod. Chef Josh Niland from Saint Peter in Paddington, the revered fish restaurant enjoyed by Nigella Lawson and Jaime Oliver, has redefined the very genre of desserts with this luxurious caramel treat. The top layer of the dish sees the salty caramel's butter component switched with cod fat, and the accompanying biscuit is made with Hapuka roe, to create an unexpected delicacy that really is impressive. An added factor that will make you feel even better about the swap is the promise of waste-reduction — the chefs are using every part of the fish. POP YOUR BACON AND EGGS IN A BOWL OF RAMEN Newtown's Rising Sun Workshop is in itself — the cafe is situated inside a motorbike workshop. That means you can bring your wheels in and enjoy coffee and brekkie at the same time. But the real treat at Rising Sun Workshop is the breakfast ramen. Ditch the avo toast for delicious noodles swimming in buttered toast broth, topped with bacon and fried egg. SWAP GIN FOR PATRÓN SILVER IN A NEGRONI As with the old fashioned, swapping out tequila as the hero alcohol profile in your favourite cocktails can shake things up a little. Try Patrón Silver instead of gin. The smooth, clean spirit uses 100 percent of Weber Blue Agave, and is a number one tequila for bartenders across the world — you'll be set to impress your friends at your next dinner party. For the negroni, trade-in gin for Patrón Silver, and simply add equal measures of Martini Bitters and Martini Riserva Rubino Vermouth. Stir with ice and strain over fresh ice cubes in your favourite tumbler, and add an orange twist. BE DONE WITH BORING JAFFLES There was a time when a jaffle was about simplicity — ham, cheese, maybe baked beans if you were feeling fancy. But times have changed, and the jaffle has been reinvented with depth and flavour profiles that'll match even Patrón tequila cocktails. We first fell in love with the idea with Super Ling's ma po tofu jaffle in Carlton. More recently, Cavalier 2.0 in Sydney has popped a beef tongue bolognese lasagne-inspired jaffle on its menu. And you must take a visit to Potts Point for Ms.G's curry puff jaffle, complete with Malaysian-style chicken. [caption id="attachment_738008" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kate Shanasy[/caption] SWAP YOUR MARGHERITA FOR A SLICE TOPPED WITH CHINESE BOLOGNESE Tucked away on Grattan Street in Carlton is the ultimate food mash up, combining Chinese food, pasta and pizza. Chef Nick Stanton first married bolognese with the flavours of Hong Kong in a Chinese pasta dish at the now-closed Ramblr, but he's taken that beef-based sauce with him to Leonardo's Pizza Palace, and popped it on a chewy, doughy pizza base together with a creamy white sauce. The team used gochujang — a fermented chilli paste — Shaoxing wine, and stock infused with soy sauce for the oozy bolognese that'll go down in Aussie food history. Vegans can grab a plant-based version at sibling venue Leo's By The Slice at the old Ramblr site in South Yarra. Top image: Chris Middleton.
Designer stationery company Moleskine are getting into the hospitality game, with the launch of their first ever café, library, retail store and art gallery in Milan. With an aesthetic inspired by the brand's iconic notebook (think clean layout and plenty of neutral colours), the Moleskine Café is split into two levels. The ground floor will be home to the café and exhibition space, along with shared seating areas and an 'experience table' (yeah, alright guys) laden with various Moleskine products. The mezzanine level will be more secluded, featuring private seating and sofas for reading and studying. "We will provide our guests with an innovative retail experience, bringing the socialising dimensions of food, creativity and shopping to a single space designed to reflect the distinctive, clean aesthetics of Moleskine," said Moleskine CEO Arrio Berni. "I believe this vision fully reflects the growing interest people show for retail formats that go beyond the sheer act of shopping and I look forward to validating this concept for global expansion." The café in Milan comes on the back of a trial café in Geneva Airport. The brand is planning to open a number of other locations in major cities around the world, although they're remaining tight-lipped as to exactly which. Via Daily Coffee News and Design Week. Image: Moleskine/Interbrand.
The hit rock musical based on Green Day's iconic album American Idiot returns to Australian shores in 2018 for a national tour, which will see it visit Melbourne and Sydney for the first time. Following a hit season in Brisbane earlier this year, this next run of Green Day's American Idiot will see Grinspoon frontman Phil Jamieson reprise his lead performance as St Jimmy — a role played internationally by the likes of Melissa Etheridge, Chris Cheney and Green Day's own Billie Joe Armstrong. The acclaimed Aussie musician will again be joined on stage by Phoebe Panaretos, whose performance as Whatsername during the show's Brisbane run scored her a Helpmann nomination. Hailed as a bold and explosive production, the Tony and Grammy award-winning show features every song from the band's eponymous album, along with a number of tunes from Green Day's follow-up record, 21st Century Breakdown. It's the tale of three lifelong mates, torn between remaining in their safe, aimless ruts, and challenging the status quo to embark on a journey of self-discovery. The American Idiot 2018 tour will begin with a brief season at the Sydney Opera House, before runs in Adelaide, Perth, Melbourne and Brisbane. AMERICAN IDIOT 2018 TOUR Sydney — Sydney Opera House, January 11–14 Adelaide — Adelaide Festival Centre's Her Majesty's Theatre, January 18–28 Perth — Crown Theatre, February 2–11 Melbourne — Comedy Theatre, February 23 – March 11 Brisbane — Playhouse Theatre, QPAC, April 13–21 Tickets to Green Day's 2018 American Idiot tour go on sale from next Monday, October 9. For more info visit americanidiotlive.com.au. Images: Dylan Evans.
A restaurant that takes bookings basically has unicorn status these days. Not that we're fully against this walk-ins only business — it's been known to work in our favour — but sometimes you just want to be confident you'll be able to take your Dad to dinner without a grumpy one-hour wait. For those times, you'll need to find a restaurant you can book. Helping out with that conundrum will soon be San Fransisco-based restaurant booking service OpenTable, which will be launching in Australia later this month. OpenTable has been around since 1998, and while it's an international service — they're present in Canada, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Mexico and the UK — they take up the most space in the North American market, where it supposedly facilitates 52% of restaurant reservations through its mobile app. The app is something of a cross between restaurant finder Zomato and reservation site Dimmi, which was bought out by TripAdvisor earlier this year. The OpenTable desktop site and mobile app lets you search restaurants with available tables, view the restaurant's menu, user reviews, and any other restaurants nearby you might be interested in. And while it isn't all too different to Dimmi in terms of functionality, it certainly looks a lot nicer and has some handy integrations for the hospitality industry, such as the Guest Centre booking management app for front-of-house staff. "Whether it’s at a cafe, neighbourhood bistro or hatted restaurant, Aussies love to dine out and we're committed to empowering what that experience means for people," says APAC VP and Managing Director Adam Clarke. "OpenTable's growth has been driven by our ability to develop products that cater for the changing needs of restaurants and diners. Here in Australia, we will continue to innovate by providing insight into dining trends and behaviours, and building on all we have learned over the past two decades." The OpenTable app is set to go live mid-December, and will allow you to make bookings at restaurants including Rockpool and MoVida. Of course, this service only works if your restaurant of choice doesn't work on a no-bookings system — no one can help you there, I'm afraid.
If you love locally-brewed craft beer The Alehouse Project is where you need to park yourself come midnight. This year, 13 breweries are making one-off event beers (and one cider) just for the night. Breweries on the bill include 3 Ravens, 7 cent, Bacchus, Black Dog, BrewCult, Cavalier, Holgate, Kaiju!, Make Beer, Masked, Moon Dog, St Ronan's Cider and Temple. Doors open at 5pm and DJs will play until 1am, and you won't be want for nibbles — there'll be canapes available until 10pm. A cool $99 ticket will get you access to all 13 taps, house wine and spirits — if beer isn't your jam.
Utopia is a concept often put into words and images, but if you've ever wondered what it would look like food-wise, the Social Food Project has the event for you. Running as part of Melbourne Knowledge Week, Utopian Foods will imagine what our food system will look like in 50 years and what we might be putting in our mouths by then, all through an interactive dinner on Thursday, May 4 hosted by chef and creator of the Social Food Project, Ben Mac. The glimpse of the future will take place in a little section of the past; those who partake will pull up a seat in Melbourne's beautiful old Drill Hall, opposite the Queen Victoria Market. The dinner will explore concepts such as sustainability, ecological diversity, ocean health and cultural diversity, so you can expect the small talk during dinner to be of a pretty high standard. You'll be served a five-course meal featuring surprise bonanzas such as bone broth, edible insects and fermented beverages (no surprises there). Bring your most adventurous mate and an empty tum.
Sustainable Table is a not-for-profit organisation that wants to turn our money into a more sustainable and responsible system of food consumption. From October 7-14, they’re inviting you, and some big-name restaurants near you, to Give a Fork!. The inaugural event's focus ingredient is seafood, and over 150 dinner parties have been registered, at which each diner will donate what they would normally spend on food to Sustainable Table. Given that "60% of our personal eco-footprint [is] embodied in the food that we buy", a number of restaurants in Sydney and Melbourne are also throwing their hat into the sustainability ring, donating a portion of profit from selected dishes to the organisation. Some restaurants have even gone the whole hog, writing menus specific for the occasion. Participating eateries include The Commons in Sydney and Lamaro's in Melbourne. Longrain in both Sydney and Melbourne will be cooking up fishy delights and giving away a bit of dosh for the cause. By encouraging people to host their own sustainable seafood shindig, or enjoying a delicious meal at certain, ethically aware restaurants, Sustainable Table are inviting us to help save the environment, before it gets too forked up. To register, find out more about the restaurants involved or simply discover more about the cause, visit Sustainable Table's website.
The daily COVID-19 press conference has become ritual watching for many Victorians, as Premier Daniel Andrews, Minister for Health Jenny Mikakos and Chief Health Officer Professor Brett Sutton front the cameras to hash out the latest pandemic details for the masses. But, if you're the kind of person that likes to dig a little deeper, you'll now find a goldmine of virus data and extra information over at the Victorian Government's new data dashboard. Available to view on the Department of Health and Human Services website and updated regularly, these new live logs share details of outbreaks, active case numbers, hospitalisations and deaths, as well as the figures relating to COVID-19 cases in aged-care settings. There's also a new colour-coded map showing the active cases in each local government area and postcode, per 100,000 residents, which you can take a peek at below. The DHHS has had a COVID-19 case map on its website for a while now, but this is the first one to show data by postcode. [caption id="attachment_781463" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Victorian cases numbers by location as of 12.30pm on Monday, August 24.[/caption] The DHHS is also now releasing information about the state's 'high-risk locations', as identified by public health experts during contract tracing. If you find you've been at any of these spots on the dates indicated, the DHHS recommends keeping an eye out for any COVID-19 symptoms and getting tested immediately if you get even a sniffle. Locations will stay listed here for 14 days after the date of the most recent exposure. On the list at the moment: Danny's IGA X-Press in Armadale, Bendigo Marketplace, Chadstone Shopping Centre, Woolworths Docklands, Bunnings Fairfield and Coles in Hallam. Highlighting these locations will become increasingly important as the state's stay-at-home restrictions are eased. The dashboard has been introduced in response to strong public demand, as a way to help locals stay on top of information relating to the pandemic. "We've heard loud and clear that Victorians want to know more about coronavirus in their community — as part of their efforts to keep themselves and their loved ones safe," said Minister for Health Jenny Mikakos in a statement. The mine of data will continue to be updated as more information is made available, gathered with the help of local councils, health providers and community organisations across Victoria. For more information about COVID-19 in Victoria, head to the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services website. You can also check out more figures and graphs on its Victorian coronavirus data page.
If you're doing your best to be an eco-conscious citizen, but find yourself stuck, bagless, at the checkout way too often, you're not alone. At least now, when you've again forgotten your reusable bag and are staring down the barrel of yet another purchase of a 15-cent plastic number, you could have a different, more planet-friendly option. Supermarket joint Woolworths has kicked off a new trial offering recyclable paper bags in 21 of its stores nationwide. Stores — including Marrickville Metro and Bondi in Sydney, Melbourne's St Kilda and the QV Centre, and Pacific Fair and Surfers Paradise in Queensland — are now offering customers the option of packing their groceries into 20-cent paper bags, which are made from 80 percent recycled paper. They're also a breeze to recycle in your regular curbside collection. The trial will be used to gauge customer demand and Woollies says it'll be monitoring feedback closely. In the meantime, all Australian Woolworths stores will continue to offer the 15-cent reusable plastic bags, as well as those signature green Bag for Good varieties priced at 99 cents. The reusable plastic ones can be recycled through the REDcycle collection bins found in-store, though plenty of us can probably attest to the fact that most of them end up collecting dust under the sink. As for the supermarket chain's sturdier green counterparts, they'll continue to raise much-needed funds for the Woolworths Junior Landcare Grants program. If one of yours gets damaged, Woolies will even replace it for free, regardless of how long ago it was purchased. The company says it has cut over three billion single-use plastic bags from circulation since it began phasing them out across its stores in June 2018. Here's which Woolworths stores are trialling the paper bags: Bondi, NSW Coogee, NSW Double Bay, NSW Marrickville Metro, NSW Neutral Bay, NSW Paddington, NSW Rose Bay, NSW Rouse Hill, NSW Rozelle, NSW Town Hall, NSW Cairns, Qld Pacific Fair, Qld Surfers Paradise, Qld Armadale, Vic Black Rock, Vic Burwood Brickworks, Vic Hawksburn, Vic Hawthorn, Vic QV, Vic South Yarra, Vic St Kilda, Vic
Apologies, scorned women — when it comes to cinema, hell hath no fury like an impassioned filmmaker angry about race relations in his beloved country. Or, to put it another way, no one makes a seething big-screen statement about bigotry in the US like Do the Right Thing, Malcolm X and Chi-Raq director Spike Lee. You could call his latest joint many things, and they all fit: a crusading comedy laced with searing commentary, a tale so enraging and ridiculous that it can only be true, and a savage political polemic, for starters. Still, what echoes loudest in BlacKkKlansman isn't the megaphone that the film gives to its specific, valid and vital perspective. Rather, it's the shocked silence that emanates as the 70s-set picture holds a much-needed mirror up to America today. In the type of true story that'd be accused of being too far-fetched if it was fiction, BlacKkKlansman chronicles that one time an African–American police officer went undercover in the Ku Klux Klan. All his infiltration mission took was three things, each as crucial as the last. Firstly, Ron Stallworth (John David Washington) had to get a job as a Colorado Springs detective, then convince his superiors that his talents exceeded the records room. Next, he had to spot a newspaper ad, put on a white-sounding voice and call the Ku Klux Klan's local chapter. Finally, he had to enlist his Jewish colleague Flip Zimmerman (Adam Driver) to be the face of his fake persona. That Stallworth also managed to strike up a phone-based friendship with Ku Klux Klan grand wizard David Duke (Topher Grace) didn't hurt, either. With Lee adapting the real-life Stallworth's book with a trio of co-writers, BlacKkKlansman's narrative is filled with telling juxtapositions. The fact that everything on screen did happen, despite all logic seeming to dictate otherwise, is just the beginning. Furthermore, the contrast between the film's comic and horrific elements only scratches the surface. Also peppered throughout: the progressive posturing of the police force versus the bureaucratic reality, the discrimination faced along racial lines compared to gender and religion, and the smarts needed to bring down an organisation that operates on such sheer stupidity. Plus, as Stallworth strikes up a fledgling relationship with student activist Patrice Dumas (Laura Harrier) — who happens to be escorting a Black Panther leader (Corey Hawkins) into town — the movie explores clashing methods of fighting deep-seeded racism. Helming the film it feels like he was born to make, Lee approaches his weighty material with the complexity that it deserves. Indeed, there's nothing simple about BlacKkKlansman, not only in its themes but in every element both in front of and behind the lens. Acting-wise, Washington puts in an intelligent, assured performance — sharing his dad Denzel's knack for commanding the screen with little more than a look and some silent swagger — while Driver's usual casual vibe serves his character well, and Grace gives prejudice a chillingly articulate face. Stylistically, the movie boasts the visual depth and texture that comes from shooting on 35mm, a suitably layered yet stirring soundtrack, and the energetic pace you'd expect from a filmmaker so committed to his cause. And yet, there's one aspect that Lee and company perfect above all else. Tonally, BlacKkKlansman is a feat that might never be beaten. It's a procedural and a caper that combines a mix of history, humour, tragedy and a sense of injustice; a film that has no interest in subtlety, and yet sometimes feels like it's actually (and purposefully) holding back. That's not one of the movie's many juxtapositions, and nor is it a failing of nerve. Instead, it's a concerted and clever choice. Lee waves his ire around like a flag, while at the same time adopting the best approach to capture broader attention. His fury and ferocity never subsides, but rather shape-shifts through awkward laughs, surreal encounters, world-weary sorrow and raw terror alike. Whether kicking things off with a pointed overview of cinema's racist leanings since the advent of the medium, sticking to its period setting, or underscoring the narrative's parallels with the reality of today via heartbreaking news footage, BlacKkKlansman is all the more powerful, resonant and relevant as a result. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpxJIWz8MNQ
In excellent news for anyone who loves scouting out new tunes from fresh local talent, the folks at Rare Finds have announced an east coast touring circuit, kicking off in January 2018. The Sydney-based PR and artist management company has long been a champion of emerging Aussie artists, hosting regular showcases in Brisbane and Sydney over the past two years. Now it's teamed up with Oporto and creative collective Pilerats to bring its latest musical finds to a stage near you. Touring once a month across Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne, each Rare Finds circuit will feature a curation of up-and-coming acts, providing an all-important live platform for these emerging artists. Headlining the first tour in January 2018 is Sunshine Coast songstress Ayla, off the back of her second EP Let's Talk Monday. She'll be joined by a different lineup in each city: Asha Jefferies, Royal & The Southern Echo and DJ Tom Bloomfield in Brisbane; Otious, Magnets and British India DJs in Melbourne; and Aikonawena, The Longboys and Rare Finds DJs on the Sydney leg. Catch the first iteration of the Rare Finds circuit on January 12 at Brisbane's Black Bear Lodge, January 19 at Melbourne's Penny Black and January 20 at Oxford Art Factory's Gallery Bar in Sydney. Tickets to the Sydney and Brisbane shows are less than $15 and the Melbourne gig is free. The Rare Finds east coast circuit will take place in January 2018 in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. For more info and to buy tickets, visit rarefinds.com.au.
If you're a vegetarian, worshipper of eggplant or just a keen home cook, chances are Yotam Ottolenghi has had some impact on your life. In fact, we bet you've got at least one of his bestselling cookbooks in your cupboard. Next year, you'll be able to learn a few more tips and tricks from the renowned Israeli chef as he heads to Australia for a speaking tour. The trailblazing chef, author, TV personality and restaurateur whose name has become its own cooking style is touring Sydney, Melbourne, the Gold Coast, Adelaide and Perth in 2021 off the back of his new book Ottolenghi Flavour, which builds on his love for innovative vegetable-based recipes. Yotam Ottolenghi — Flavour of Life will tour the country throughout June — and, as well as dishing up a few spicy secrets behind mouthwatering hits like miso butter onions and spicy mushroom lasagne, the show will provide an opportunity to hear directly from the man himself about his influences and experiences. It also promises to delve into Ottolenghi's experience as the owner of famed London restaurants Nopi and Rovi, how he approached home cooking during the COVID-19 pandemic and how you can dial up the flavour in your own kitchen. [caption id="attachment_768174" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Flickr/Stijn Nieuwendijk[/caption] YOTAM OTTOLENGHI AUSTRALIAN TOUR: Perth: Tuesday, June 8 at Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre Adelaide: Wednesday, June 9 at Adelaide Convention Centre Gold Coast: Friday, June 11 at The Star Gold Coast Melbourne: Saturday, June 12 at Hamer Hall Sydney: Sunday, June 13 at ICC Sydney The Yotam Ottolenghi — Flavour of Life speaking tour is scheduled to hit Sydney, Melbourne, the Gold Coast, Adelaide and Perth in June 2021. Ticket presales for all cities except Melbourne start at 10am on Wednesday, December 16, with general public sales kicking off at 11am on Monday, December 21. Melbourne presales will commence at 10am on Monday, February 1.
It might have missed out on its 2020 run and faced its fair share of hiccups in 2021, but the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival (MFWF) isn't about to let anything stop it from hosting a bumper celebration for its 30th anniversary edition this year. The annual citywide homage to Melbourne's renowned food and drink scene returns this autumn for a special two-week 2022 instalment, headlined by the iconic Nigella Lawson. MFWF turns the big 3-0 with the help of a tantalising program of events from Friday, March 25–Saturday, April 9. And, as always, it's set to dish up a star-studded lineup of culinary guests, both local and international. Among them, you'll catch bestselling author Lawson as she hosts a lavish Sunday lunch, followed by a fireside chat and Q&A led by Matt Preston. Elsewhere, Arabella Douglas and Christine Manfield join forces for a thought-provoking feast championing Asian and Indigenous ingredients and traditions, and renowned Hong Kong chef Jowett Yu takes over Nomad for a special sneak-peek at his latest exciting culinary project. Plenty more buzz-worthy appearances come from the likes of Firedoor's Lennox Hastie, Michelin-starred Sydney chef Skye Gyngell and Momofuku's Paul Carmichael, plus Dave Pynt of Singapore restaurant Burnt Ends. Meanwhile, the World's Longest Lunch event will this year be helmed by Attica's legendary Ben Shewry, featuring a three-course al fresco feed to remember. And chefs Shane Delia (Maha), Joseph Abboud (Rumi) and Kirsty Chiaplias (Babajan) are set to lend a modern Middle Eastern flavour to the World's Longest Brunch. [caption id="attachment_842990" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Shane Delia, Ben Shewry, Joseph Abboud and Kirsty Chiaplias; by Josh Robenstone[/caption] As festival hub, the Queen Victoria Market will play host to a slew of food-focused parties and happenings — including returning favourites like multi-venue pasta celebration The Big Spaghetti, hot chip party Maximum Chips and the Shannon Martinez-helmed plant-based fiesta Welcome to the Jungle. Highlights of Melbourne's famed, globally influenced snack scene will be showcased across two days at the inaugural Snacktown event, while locally produced liquid treats take centre stage at New Crush — a party dedicated to Victoria's finest sips, complete with demos, producer chats, specialty concoctions and even a booze-free silent disco. Meat-lovers can sink their teeth into a special lunch series dedicated to all things steak, and the perennial favourite Crawl and Bite program will serve its usual lineup of progressive feasts, this time exploring suburbs including Armadale, South Yarra, Collingwood, Fitzroy and Footscray. Catch the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival from Friday, March 25–Saturday, April 9 at venues across the city. Check out the full program over at the website and grab tickets from 10am on Thursday, February 17.
Before the division, Terry Hooley (Richard Dormer) was a popular man. But then his native Belfast bitterly split along sectarian lines, leaving the gregarious but staunchly apolitical Hooley to his own devices. He's DJing to nobody at a sad bar surrounded by barbed wire and run by the baleful Pat (Dylan Moran) when he finds a kindred soul in outsider Ruth (Jodie Whittaker). Emboldened by the support of Ruth, Dooley then decides on a whim that what his ailing city needs is a record store and he borrows over his head to set up the shop on a street famously known as the most bombed in Europe. Despite its perilous location, Hooley's boundless enthusiasm for the soothing power of music proves infectious and he watches in delight as it becomes a real cultural hub, quickly expanding into a record label as the city's burgeoning punk scene sparks into life. It's hard to think of another film which captures the fervour of discovery of music as thrillingly as Good Vibrations. You'll be won over by this scrappily loveable ode to the energy and abandon of punk rock. Read our full review here. Good Vibrations is in cinemas on June 12, and thanks to Curious Distribution, we have ten double in-season passes to give away. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au https://youtube.com/watch?v=SE17U5ML9dQ
As part of the 2013–14 Sydney International Art Series and part of an exclusive deal with the NSW government, the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) and Destination NSW present, War Is Over! (if you want it): Yoko Ono. Legendary artist, musician, activist and perhaps one of the most controversial figures in the history of rock 'n' roll, Yoko Ono has developed her first solo exhibition made up of five decades worth of art in diverse media. Over the past decade skeptics of Ono and her involvement with the Beatles disintegration in 1970, have let the past go and have started to embrace Ono's musical and artistic endeavours. Ono brings back to life the iconic message, 'War Is Over!' that she and her late husband John Lennon spent years spreading around the world. First appearing in 1969 across billboards worldwide, the message may be the most recognised symbol of public outcry for peace during the Vietnam War. Over the past decade some of those who were once skeptical of Ono and her possible involvement in the Beatles 1970 disintegration, have let the past go and begun to embrace Ono's musical and artistic endeavours. MCA Senior Curator Rachel Kent has worked closely with Ono on the survey. The exhibition reaffirms Ono's belief in a better future. Sydney's MCA will be the only Australian venue for Ono's artwork which includes performances, sculpture, written texts, films, sound compositions, and participatory pieces of art that involve the viewers. The exhibit is to be presented throughout the Level Three Galleries in November of next year. Ono is expected to attend.
In the 70s and 80s, it was Countdown. In the 90s and early 00s, it was Recovery. Last year, the ABC added The Set to its roster of music-focused TV shows. Fronted by triple j's Linda Marigliano and newly minted Wimbledon quad doubles champion Dylan Alcott, the newcomer was a hit — and now it's returning for a second season in August. Screening on ABC weekly from 9.30pm on Wednesday, August 28, The Set features live music performances in front of a live studio audience — and will once again spotlight a different main band each week, who'll then invite two guest acts to perform as well. To end each show, the week's artists all team up in a one-off musical collaboration, because the series has a definite party atmosphere. That extends to the audience; with the whole thing taking place on a purpose-built share house set, which also includes a backyard, 250 folks get to head along, in person, enjoying the gig. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_pcuYplrTg While this year's bands haven't yet been announced, 2018's lineup included Baker Boy, Vera Blue, Ball Park Music and The Presets, as well as Illy, Odette, Wafia, Mallrat, Angie McMahon, Tia Gostelow, LANKS and Kult Kyss. The Set's second season will screen from Wednesday, August 28 till Wednesday, October 9, which each week's episode available on iView after it airs.
Back in early September, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews flagged how the metropolitan Melbourne area will gradually ease out of its stage four COVID-19 lockdowns, announcing a five-step plan to bring the region to a stage called 'COVID normal'. Then, at the end of last month, Premier Andrews confirmed how the second phase of that roadmap would proceed, including lifting the curfew earlier than expected due to lower COVID-19 case numbers — while also revealing that the state may also move forward to future stages earlier than planned. As part of that late-September announcement, it was advised that the metropolitan Melbourne area will no longer be held to strict dates, but to case numbers, when it comes to loosening further restrictions. And, based on cases at the time, it was expected that step three would come into effect on October 19; however, today, Saturday, October 10, Premier Andrews has advised that the next the next stage of eased rules is likely to be smaller than originally outlined. "The tale of this second wave was always going to be stubborn and that is exactly the way it is panning out," the Premier noted in his daily press conference. "I think it unlikely that we will be able to move as fast as we would like to have done next Sunday. I think it is unlikely that we will be able to take as eager steps as we would have hoped to take next Sunday," he said. Premier Andrews did confirm that changes are still coming next week, though, even if they aren't as significant as initially hoped. "We will take steps next Sunday, and Martin [Foley, the Victorian Health Minister], Brett [Sutton, Victoria's Chief Health Officer], myself and other colleagues will spend an enormous amount of time this weekend and throughout the week determining exactly what those next steps can be," he advised. https://twitter.com/VicGovDHHS/status/1314683946467299329 As part of the revised roadmap, step three was due to kick in when the daily average number of cases in the last 14 days hit less than five state-wide, and when there was less than five cases with an unknown source across Victoria in the prior fortnight as well. At present, the metro Melbourne area alone has a rolling 14-day average of 9.5 cases, with ten cases from mystery sources. Just what will change from October 19 is obviously yet to be revealed but, originally, restrictions on leaving home were due to be lifted — including reasons and distance. Also initially slated: public gatherings capped at ten people outdoors; 'household bubbles', allowing up to five visitors from another nominated household; the reopening of retail and hairdressing; and hospitality kicking back into gear with a focus on outdoor seated service, plus group caps of ten people. Intrastate travel was also set to be allowed, but only to other places in step three, and outdoor venues and events were slated to recommence subject to pre-approved plans. For more information about the status of COVID-19 and the current restrictions, head over to the Department of Health and Human Services website — and for further details about Victoria's steps for reopening, head to the roadmap itself.
Now that you can start inviting friends round for an overdue catch up, we'd like to help you out with a refresher on how to play host. Sure, maybe you want to show off all those loaves of sourdough you've been baking (and we won't stop you), but to truly rise to the occasion, why not pair it with some delicatessen quality cheeses and a celebratory round of passion fruit martinis? It's an unusual pairing, but these are unusual times. We've partnered with Pernod Ricard to bring you four indulgent food and drink pairings that'll bring you back to not-so socially distant times with classic matches like freshly shucked oysters and rosé to more surprising flavour matches, such as a massaman curry with sour cocktails. Bonus: each one can all be delivered to your doorstep, so you can keep the best of lockdown convenience next time you're having your mates over. [caption id="attachment_626153" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Stinking Bishops[/caption] MATCH A PLATTER OF CHEESE WITH PORN STAR MARTINIS We know the classic pairing is white wine with mild cheese and red (or more tannin-heavy styles) with blues and mature cheeses, but we'd like to suggest a more playful match that adds a little fizz to the mix. The London-born cocktail porn star martini is sweet and celebratory — it's traditionally served with a shot glass of champagne — and pairs particularly well with blue cheese, comté and brie. The sweet concoction cuts through most creamy cheeses, as well as dense dried fruits and quince. What to order: Sydneysiders can order European and Australian farmhouse cheeses direct from Formaggi Ocello, or from Stinking Bishops via Doordash. In Melbourne, you can order hampers of 'all Victorian' or 'all soft' cheeses from Milk the Cow. Speciality cheese shop Harper and Blohm also delivers cloth-bound cheddars, gooey soft cheeses and stinky blues from its Brunswick store. And Brisbanites should head to Le Fromage Yard who is delivering a combo of three cheeses, quince and crackers for $55. Pair with: a round of porn star martinis made with Absolut Vanilla. [caption id="attachment_768195" align="alignnone" width="1920"] East 33[/caption] SHARE A DECADENT SEAFOOD FEAST WITH BONE-DRY ROSE You'll hardly be surprised to hear that a delicate, textural rosé sits well with a platter of grilled prawns. It's practically a national drink pairing come summer, so we're here to say make the most of those lingering warm days and fire up the barbie. There are nuances you can consider when matching your rosé to your ocean catch; light, dry styles (often pinot noir based) work well with raw and lightly cooked shellfish, and medium-dry or sweeter wines (such as zinfandel) work best with salads, dessert or foods with a bit of spice. What to order: In Sydney, sustainable seafood eatery Fish & Co delivers cold cooked king prawns and fresh oysters via Deliveroo. When you want to go all out, order from East 33 — supplier to the country's best restaurants. In Melbourne, there's been no better time to indulge in a delivery from fine diner Minamishima — order the box-pressed hakozushi, a specialty of chef Hide. And in Brisbane, Sushi Edo has nigiri and aburi nigiri available via Deliveroo. Pair with: a cold bottle of Jacob's Creek Le Petit Rosé. The blend of pinot noir, grenache and mataro is a perfect match for seafood. [caption id="attachment_696538" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Continental Deli by Kitti Gould[/caption] GRAZE ON CHARCUTERIE WITH A SUBTLE SPANISH RED It's a similar method for matching wine with cured meats — lighter styles of wine are better bedfellows for lighter flavoured meats. And while a charcuterie board is an assembly of cured meats, we also like to add cheese, fruit, cornichons and nuts to the mix, so look at the flavour balance as a whole. Generally speaking, saltier foods are best paired with acidic wines and those with bolder tannins complement smoky flavoured meats. What to order: In Sydney, Bel and Brio has ready-to-serve charcuterie platters (including white truffle honey, prosciutto, salame felino and mortadella) via Deliveroo. Or, order Continental Deli's cheese and charcuterie platter (with brie, comté, jamón and sopressa) via Bopple. Melburnians can pick up from Windsor's Tipico, which has salumi misti as well as pizza, pasta and dessert. And D.O.C. also has local delivery and takeaway of its salumi and cheese boards from $17. In Brisbane, there's a dedicated charcuterie delivery service called Say Cheese, which is packing boxes of platter-ready cheeses, cured meats, olives, dips and crackers to all suburbs, as well as Rosalie Gourmet Market which has a decadent charcuterie box for $84.99. Pair with: a bottle of Campo Viejo Tempranillo — expect woody and vanilla notes with ripe red fruits and spices. [caption id="attachment_686214" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Chin Chin[/caption] PAIR A THAI FEAST WITH SOUR PINK COCKTAILS As Thai dishes balance sweet, sour, salt, spice, bitterness and aromatic flavours, you can pair them with almost any sweet–sour cocktail. If it's been a while since you've enjoyed a table full of share plates and chinked glasses with loved ones, perhaps you can take a step towards bringing the flavour party back home with a round of colourful cocktails. Whether you prefer whisky, gin or tequila as your base, go big or go home on theatrics. We suggest shaking up this pink concoction with strawberry-infused gin. What to order: In Sydney, you can get speciality dishes from award-winning restaurant Spice I Am, such as the pad prik pao pork belly. And in Melbourne and Sydney, Southeast Asian restaurant Chin Chin is offering a takeaway service direct from its website, including curries, roasts and barbecued dishes. In Brisbane, Phat Elephant has whole barramundi platters and mixed entree plates via Deliveroo, and Same Same in Fortitude Valley is running a daily delivery service of its curries and salads. Pair with: London dry gin Beefeater Pink. Right now, Pernod Ricard is offering a $10 Deliveroo voucher for every $50 spent on a select range of its wine and spirits — bought online or in-store at its partner liquor stores. Find out more, here. Top image: Continental Deli by Kimberley Low.
Summer in Australia means sun, surf, sand — and, increasingly, sweltering weather of heatwave proportions. The country clocked up its third-warmest year on record in 2018, and while we don't know just yet if 2019 will match it, we do know that a spate of particularly toasty days is on its way. It is the time of the year for it, of course; however the next run of warm weather will blast temperatures up, with the mercury hitting the 30s in every capital city except Hobart. The sweaty conditions will be travelling over from the western side of the country, where Perth has been has been enduring a multi-day run of temps around the 40-degree mark this week. On Thursday, the WA spot hit 39, while Friday reached 40, and tops of 41 and 40 are forecast on Saturday and Sunday. As that heat moves east over the week, the impact will differ around the country, with inland locations expected to bear the brunt. In the capitals, Sydney is expected to hit 33 degrees on Thursday, Brisbane will max out at 38 degrees on Monday before hovering around 30 for the rest of the week, Melbourne is due to hit 36 on Thursday and 41 on Friday, Adelaide will experience four days over 40 from Tuesday–Friday, and Canberra will top out at 42 on Thursday. And again, while sultry days are part and parcel of this time of year, each of the aforementioned cities except Brisbane will experience temps above its average maximum for December. https://twitter.com/BOM_au/status/1205670711156789248 As the ABC reports, the Bureau of Meteorology predicts that, inland, the country may even break the heat record for the hottest day ever recorded. It currently stands at 50.7 degrees at Oodnadatta in South Australia, and dates back to January 1960. The warmest temp ever recorded in December is 49.5 degrees, which Birdsville in Queensland hit on Christmas Eve in 1972. BOM has already predicted that this summer will be warmer and drier than average, like 2019 overall — and that those conditions will continue well into 2020.
There are many, many excellent and very familiar things to do in New South Wales — from climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge to watching the sunset from the Cape Byron Lighthouse. But there are loads of other, more unusual possibilities, too. And some of them might never have crossed your mind. How about snorkelling with fur seals in the wild? Riding a camel along a beach? Crawling through an 1880s mine shaft? Get ready to throw out your old adventure playbook and re-write it. Here are seven things you didn't know you could do in Australia's most populated state. RIDE A CAMEL ON THE BEACH You might be aware that Australia has the biggest herd of wild camels in the world — there are over one million roaming around out there. But, did you know that, in New South Wales, you can ride one of the mighty humped beasts with waves crashing at your feet? This wondrous adventure is less than three hours away from Sydney. In Port Stephens, Oakfield Ranch leads camel rides along sweeping Stockton Beach. Should you be contemplating further escapades in the area, check out our weekender's guide to the area. SAND BOARD THE BIGGEST MOVING SAND DUNES IN THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE Just behind Stockton Beach are the Stockton Sand Dunes, the biggest moving sand dunes in the Southern Hemisphere. Once you're immersed, you'll feel as though you're in some far-off desert. That's one of the reasons why the first Mad Max film was shot here. Hands-down, the most fun way to experience them is with a sand board under your arm. After climbing your way to the top, slide back down head first (or, if your balance is good, standing) at epic speeds. You'll need to book with a local operator — or, to avoid enormous tour groups, go with the small, family-owned Sand Dune Safaris. SNORKEL WITH FUR SEALS IN THE WILD Around five hours south of Sydney is the coastal town of Narooma and, nine kilometres offshore, lies Barunguba (otherwise known as Montague Island). This pristine nature reserve is home to around 90 bird species, 12,000 little penguins and the biggest fur seal colony in New South Wales, which attracts 2500 seasonal residents — some of which you can snorkel with. Several tour operators are available and it's possible to add time exploring Montague Island. If you're keen to spend more time on the Far South Coast, our road tripper's guide might come in handy. GO HOT AIR BALLOONING ABOVE A 23 MILLION-YEAR-OLD VOLCANIC CRATER North and west of Byron Bay is the Tweed hinterland, a land of ancient rainforest, wild rivers and rugged mountain peaks. Twenty-three million years ago, a volcano erupted here, creating a caldera 40 kilometres wide and 1000 metres deep. To see it in all its lush beauty, wake up before sunrise and ride a hot air balloon with Byron Bay Ballooning. This dreamy escapade takes you way up into the air for an hour or so and, on landing, treats you to a champagne breakfast. EAT DOUBLE-HATTED FARE OVERLOOKING THE TASMAN SEA There's no shortage of delicious fare wherever you go in New South Wales, but there aren't many spots where you can feast on two-hatted dishes while gazing at the Tasman Sea. Paper Daisy Restaurant, within Halcyon House, near Cabarita Beach on the Tweed Coast, is one of them. Here, Executive Chef Jason Barratt (ex-Circa, The Prince, Attica) is in the kitchen whipping up ocean-inspired combinations. Start with lobster, white radish and granny smith apple, before moving onto kingfish baked in local kelp, sweet corn, smoked onion and dried prawn. Then, for dessert, pear with spiced date, almond and roasted fennel ice cream. CRAWL THROUGH AN 1880s COAL MINE On the road between Broken Hill and Silverton — around 1200 kilometres west of Sydney — lies Day Dream, one of Australia's first coal mines. Built in the 1880s, it's now a tourist attraction, where you can experience a day-in-the-life of a 19th century miner. Prepare for darkness, dust and lots of squeezing through teeny-tiny spaces — all 30 metres underground. Mining is still a dangerous business, but was way more terrifying back then. In fact, workers did it so tough that their bosses handed out opium to ease the pain. When that wore off, horehound beer, which caused temporary blindness, was the next refuge. You'll hear these and other tales on a 1.5-hour tour. Find more tips for exploring Broken Hill over here. VISIT THE (HUGE) TELESCOPE THAT HELPED BROADCAST MAN'S FIRST WALK ON THE MOON You might recognise this one from The Dish, the 2000 indie comedy by Australian writer-director Rob Sitch, who's also responsible for The Castle. Located around 360 kilometres west of Sydney near Parkes, the 64-metre-wide telescope helped broadcast man's first moonwalk and has since found more than half of the 2000 known pulsars. When you're finished marvelling at its architecture, feast on a beef and red wine pie in the on-site cafe and check out the memorabilia in the gift shop. Should you be travelling by vehicle, our road tripper's guide to Central NSW might help. Discover more adventures around NSW at visitnsw.com. All images: Destination NSW
After its unfortunate COVID-forced cancellation last year, the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival (MFWF) is making up for any missed culinary opportunities. The 2021 edition of the much-loved annual event has been reimagined as not one, but three mini festivals. The first of these served up a slew of events across the city back in March, and now it's time for course number two. The MFWF Winter Edition is set to deliver a broad lineup of 150 food and drink events from August 20–29. Across ten culinary-packed days, you'll find brand new events, along with a handful of the hot-ticket happenings originally meant to debut in 2020. Queen Victoria Market is set to play host to an array of demonstrations, workshops, activations and parties, including a shindig dedicated to the many varied incarnations of the humble hot chip. For $35 at Maximum Chips 2021, you'll score a welcome drink, live entertainment and (most importantly) all-you-can-eat chips, with varieties ranging from crinkle-cut spuds and the classic shoestring; to French fries and fluffy potato gems. Also at QVM, The Convenient Store retail pop-up will be slinging a fresh rotation of smash-hit snacks (and cocktails) from a cast of beloved venues. Expect Andrew McConnell's (Cumulus Inc, Supernormal) katsu sando which itself nods to Japan's Lawson convenience store's egg sandwich. The Remixed Grill plates up a fire-driven, wine-matched feast soundtracked by live tunes and helmed by ten legendary chefs, such as Shane Delia (Maha, Maha Bar), Tina Li (Dainty Sichuan, Little Sichuan) and Tom Sarafian (Little Andorra, ex-Bar Saracen). And each weekend, a Starward Whisky pop-up bar will be matching specialty whisky cocktails to exclusive bites from some of Melbourne's hottest emerging chef talent — think: Rosheen Kaul (Etta), Nabil Ansari (Sunda) and Lorena Corso (Napier Quarter). [caption id="attachment_819137" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Le Bon Ton, by Jake Roden[/caption] Meanwhile, Smith & Daughters' Shannon Martinez will head up a plant-based food fiesta dubbed Welcome to the Jungle, featuring a rock 'n roll edge and tiki drinks from the LuWow crew. And rounding out the QVM program, there'll be a family-friendly pasta celebration dubbed The Big Spaghetti, serving a Nonna-worthy lineup of 20 different signature dishes from pasta masters including Tipo 00 and Marameo. Crawl and Bite will take food-lovers on progressive dining adventures through pockets and suburbs such as Footscray, Flemington and Carlton's Lygon Street, while Le Bon Ton will host a lively Louisianan shrimp boil complete with paired wine and seafood-covered tables. Or, drop by Belles for an evening of Barbadian snacks, reggae tunes and rum punch, led by the legendary Paul Carmichael (Momofuku Seiobo). The program is brimming with opportunities to show some love to Melbourne's hard-hit hospitality industry, so you'd best bring your appetites, folks. The Melbourne Food & Wine Festival Winter Edition program runs from August 20–29 at venues across Melbourne. Tickets are on sale from 9am Thursday, July 15 — head to the website to grab yours and to check out the full program. Images: Josh Robenstone
April 9th, 2011 was an important day for the residents of Fayetteville, Arkansas and bacon-lovers everywhere. Why? The third annual Bacon Day took place, of course, and did so with more of a 'bang' than expected. Bacon Day began as a private event, and although it was only opened to the public for the first time last year attendance has increased significantly. The event is an all day feast, but it's B.Y.O.B (bring your own bacon) for a potluck style dinner. Nick Hamon, co-founder of the Bacon Day celebrations, brings a little extra to the table each year with his sculptures and devices made out of bacon. In previous years he's delivered the BA-K-47 and the Bacon AT-AT, but this year he made bacon history. On the day of the event, Hamon lead the inaugural launch of his new bacon-based contraption, the BA-Zooka. The BA-Zooka, unlike past bacon designs, is fully-functional. The sausage-launching contraption was successful in its first fire in Fayetteville's Agri Park in front of the crowd of admiring bacon enthusiasts in attendance. I guess playing with your food isn't always a bad thing. https://youtube.com/watch?v=sz-sq7yF4bs
In her fourth feature film, Polish director Malgoska Szumowska attempts to interrogate our traditional sexual mores: Is prostitution only ever an act of female exploitation or can it empower women, financially and socially? Do the sacrifices and compromises involved in maintaining a "respectable" bourgeois marriage actually constitute a form of whoredom? Of course, these uneasy questions have been asked before. On this occasion, Szumowska seeks to unpack them in the context of contemporary French society. The problem is that her exploration tends to simmer on the surface, rather than probe the depths necessary to penetrate such complicated issues. This may well be the consequence of trying to do too much in 99 minutes. Juliette Binoche is Anne, an obsessive, middle-aged journalist, struggling to meet the demands of her job, as well as play mother to two disconnected teenage sons and wife to a dispassionate husband. When asked to research the phenomenon of prostitution among Parisian students, Anne finds herself drawn to a risky yet seductive existence, leading her to question her own. The narrative hangs on Anne's interviews with two call girls: Charlotte (Anais Demoustier), a diminutive brunette who prefers to make quick money through the provision of sexual favours than to work long hours in a casual job, and Alicja (Joanna Kulig), a voluptuous blonde Pole who enjoys living in a spacious apartment and buying fancy clothes. Flashbacks convey their gamut of carnal experiences, which for the most part are portrayed as erotic and thrilling, the exception being a couple of incidents in which clients insist on humiliating and sadistic acts. This potential risk of aggression and its emotional consequences is one of many issues that are touched upon, rather than thoroughly explored, in Elles. The focus is on a plethora of graphic scenes, at the price of the development of the script's philosophical and psychological complexity. Binoche certainly delivers a powerful, poignant, and nuanced performance, even if her character's reactions are simplistic and predictable: the more time Anne spends talking with Charlotte and Alicja, the more she comes to resent the apparent mundane domesticity of her passionless marriage. Her awakening sensuality is represented by some rather obvious symbolism: in one scene, she fondles shellfish while preparing dinner. The (questionable) suggestion seems to be that Anne's life choices represent more of a sell-out than prostitution. Elles features plenty of sex, some intimate camera work, and undoubtedly compelling acting. However, its fragmented, unsettled heart ultimately limits its capacity to resonate.
The annual French Film Festival is touring the country next month and is set to be an entertaining delight for film lovers of all tastes and ages. The festival is a wing of the Alliance Française, an independent, not-for-profit organisation devoted to promoting the spread of French language and culture worldwide. With a presence in over 146 nations and over 30 Alliance Françaises in Australia alone, it is safe to say the organisation has done well in achieving these goals. The Alliance Françaises of Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Perth, and Sydney have joined forces to develop the Film Festival, now in its 24th year. And the 43 films set to screen at this year's festival will certainly not disappoint. The festival has a huge array of productions on offer, sure to sate the appetites of the soppy romantics, the arty, youngsters, those simply looking for a bit of a laugh, nostalgia-sufferers, and even thrillseekers. These films are some of most acclaimed productions to have come out of France over the last 12 months and will have you adoring both the language and the artistic creativity of the French by the time the credits roll. Opening the festival is Haute Cuisine, light fare about a successful chef who is appointed to head the President's kitchen in the Elysee Palace. During the festival you can see Renoir (pictured), a sumptuous film about the feuds of great painters; the erotic tableaux of FEU by Christian Louboutin; the Cannes closer and Audrey Tautou vehicle Therese Desqueyroux; and the pre-Freudian Augustine. The French Film Festival will tour to major capital cities during March and April. Visit their website to see the full program. Concrete Playground has six double passes per city to give away to see the French Film Festival in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane. The passes entitle you to receive two complimentary tickets to one festival session of choice. To go in the running, subscribe to Concrete Playground (if you haven't already) then email your name and postal address to us at hello@concreteplayground.com.au
UPDATE, July 9, 2021: The Farewell is available to stream via Netflix, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Ask someone how'd they prefer to shuffle off this mortal coil, and you'll likely receive the most cliched of answers: to pass peacefully in their sleep. That's certainly better than any alternative (other than somehow managing to live forever), although it's rarely realistic. Still, if you could give a loved one that gift, sparing them the pain of knowing that the end was near, would you? If they were diagnosed with terminal cancer, had mere months or weeks left to live, and invasive medical treatment would only cloud their remaining days, is it better to let them carry on blissfully unaware? Whether such choices are tender mercies or rob one's nearest and dearest of the chance to say goodbye sits at the heart of The Farewell, a sensitive and stirring drama set within a culture where keeping impending death from the unwell is commonplace. Drawing deeply on her own experience, writer-director Lulu Wang also uses this complicated issue as fuel to contemplate identity, belonging, tradition and cultural displacement. Born in China and raised in New York, Billi (Awkwafina) is firmly ensconced in the Big Apple. An aspiring writer, she's constantly hoping for grants to fund her work, is perennially behind on her rent and largely relies on credit cards to get by. But when her father Haiyan (Tzi Ma) and mother Jian (Diana Lin) deliver the news that her beloved paternal grandmother, Nai Nai (Zhao Shuzhen), has stage four lung cancer, Billi is determined to journey back to China — even when her parents advise her not to go. She's conflicted, however, about her family's decision not to tell their mentally spritely, physically ailing matriarch about her condition. Instead, they're all making the trip under an elaborate cover story, rushing Billi's cousin Hao Hao (Chen Han) to marry his Japanese girlfriend Aiko (Aoi Mizuhara). Such subterfuge is standard in her homeland ("when people get cancer, they die," the Chinese saying goes, referring to the impact such an illness can have on one's will to live), but it rubs against the western sensibilities that've been instilled in Billi since moving to America. One of Wang's most affecting and astute moves, of which there are many, is to task her cast with conveying this moral and emotional dilemma in their every expression and movement. In an intuitive portrayal that's worlds away from her scene-stealing, over-the-top turn in last year's Crazy Rich Asians, Awkwafina lives, breathes and wears Billi's internal turmoil. When the character is plastering on the happiest face she can to hide the truth from Nai Nai, her hunched shoulders reveal her pain. When she's trying to have a quiet, genuine moment with the woman she knows will soon be gone — a vibrant, irrepressibly bossy old lady who bustles about like a near-unstoppable force of nature — sorrow lingers in her eyes. This isn't just Billi's burden, but one shared even by those who support the decision to keep Nai Nai in the dark, sparking stellar performances across the board. Guilt and regret seeps from recognisable Chinese American star Ma (Wu Assassins), playing the son who travelled across the globe to pursue a better life. Chinese Australian actor Lin (The Family Law) tussles with Jian's own difficulties, caught as she is between a crumbling husband and an angry daughter. And as Hao Hao, Han may barely utter more than a few sentences as he endeavours to contain his sadness, but he's always a tense ball of visible discomfort. Favouring the same approach in all facets of the film, Wang styles The Farewell with naturalism at the fore. Dialogue flows freely, often from Nai Nai as she snaps out wedding plans and comments on Billi's appearance as a grandmother is known to, but a picture truly speaks a thousand words here. Collaborating with cinematographer Anna Franquesa Solano, the sophomore filmmaker tells her tale free from any rose-coloured fondness. This is a warm movie, however it steadfastly depicts its central situation, setting and struggle as they are. In practical terms, that means realism and nuance — Billi and her family exist within the film's Changchun locale, and its day-to-day minutiae is baked into every scene, and yet her visiting protagonist doesn't play tourist, for example. The same description applies to the movie's handling of its illness storyline, which is never squeezed for easy sentiment or used as weepie fodder. Wang also finds the right balance between organic humour and earnest emotion, never overstating one or the other — a tactic that particularly resonates when Billi begins to question the existence she was given in America, as well as the links to her broader family and heritage she feels it has robbed her of. All of these choices reinforce The Farewell's takeaway message: that in life and death alike, there is no simple path. There are no clear-cut answers, either, including when you're tossing up whether to tell someone they're dying or keep that knowledge from them. Far from treating these notions as obvious, Wang navigates the many complexities that prove her point with a lived-in maturity. She has literally been there, seen that and emerged to tell the tale, after all. As a result, what could've been a straightforward tearjerker in other hands benefits from her personal and poignant touch, and never heads down the blatant route. This is a subtle, thoughtful and heartfelt film that serves up a continual array of surprises — the kind that can and do get thrown in everyone's way, because that's what grappling with life's ups, downs, comings and goings is like. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0yh_ZIqq0c
For one night only, Hawkers Beer in Reservoir will be transformed into a beanbag movie theatre for Good Beer Week. Patrons at the Brewery Cinema will be able to kick back and enjoy a Tarantino double feature, with Reservoir Dogs followed by Pulp Fiction. Each ticket also entitles you to a wood-fired pizza of your choosing, along with four tasty beverages to wash it down. The first film kicks off at 6pm, but the bar will be open from noon in case you want to get your drinking started early.
Another beloved film is heading to the theatre — this time, iconic Australian effort Starstruck. It follows in the footsteps of a growing number of Aussie flicks-turned-musicals; think Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, Muriel's Wedding and Moulin Rouge!. Like its predecessors, it's easy to see why the film is getting the stage musical treatment. In fact, given the movie's storyline, it's a wonder that a large-scale production of hasn't been made before. Directed by Gillian Armstrong and first released in 1982, the comedy-drama tells the tale of Sydney teenager Jackie Mullens, who works in her mum's pub by the harbour but wants to become a rock star — and her cousin Angus, an aspiring manager, plans to get Jackie on a national TV talent series to help her dreams become a reality. An all-singing, all-dancing affair that'll be filled with 80s pop just like the movie, Starstruck — The Stage Musical will see RGM Productions, the folks behind the Priscilla, Queen of the Desert musical, team up with the National Institute of Dramatic Art. For the show's initial run at Sydney's Parade Theatre in 2019, it'll showcase NIDA's graduating class; however the production will also act as pilot for future commercial seasons. Dates haven't yet been announced, but it's expected to take to the stage towards the end of next year. As well as Priscilla Queen of The Desert, The Musical producer Garry McQuinn and his partner Rina Gill, the behind-the-scenes talent includes director Simon Phillips (Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Ladies in Black, Muriel's Wedding) and choreographer Andrew Hallsworth (Anything Goes, Sweet Charity), with the book by actor, singer, writer and director Mitchell Butel (Two Hands, Gettin' Square, Holding the Man). "It'll be an exciting adventure to see this warm-hearted little Australian film take shape on the stage," says Phillips. "The story about a couple of self-invented Ozzie kids trying to save their family pub is full of joy and adolescent energy, and NIDA feels like the perfect place to road-test its charms." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucf3bzv-e9M
In some cities, it'll happen in October. In others, it'll occur in November. Either way, folks in a heap of places around Australia are about to learn a very important truth. If you've watched Aunty Donna's Big Ol' House of Fun on Netflix — aka the platform's best comedy of 2020 — then you'll have already heard this crucial nugget of wisdom. Everyone could use a reminder, though, because knowing that everything's a drum is just that essential. Aunty Donna, purveyors of such powerful tidbits, are following up their streaming success by spreading the word — and the absurdist gags — countrywide. For the first time in more than three years, the comedy trio is hitting the road and heading to stages in Brisbane, Canberra, Perth, Adelaide, Sydney, Melbourne and Hobart. Even if you haven't yet had your cup of morning brown yet, you'll know that this is exciting news. Writers and performers Mark Samual Bonanno, Broden Kelly and Zachary Ruane will be breaking out their distinctive brand of humour between Wednesday, October 6–Friday, November 12, as part of a roadshow they're calling The Magical Dead Cat Tour. They've released a trailer to explain why these gigs have that name, and it's as silly and hilarious as you'd expect. Also part of the clip: the very wise recommendation that wannabe attendees should get their tickets quickly. Aunty Donna's Big Ol' House of Fun was just the dose of hilarity we all needed last year, so the troupe's tour is certain to prove the same this year — but in-person. Fingers crossed for more Crazy John's, Four'n Twenty pies, Eagle Boys Pizza, the Hoodoo Gurus and Grant Denyer references. And yes, plenty of funny folks are about to hit the road and bring their amusing shows to Aussie cities — with Aunty Donna touring at around the same time as Bill Bailey and Hannah Gadsby. Check out the trailer for Aunty Donna's The Magical Dead Cat Tour below — and the full tour dates, too: AUNTY DONNA'S THE MAGICAL DEAD CAT TOUR 2021: Wednesday, October 6–Thursday, October 7 — Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane Saturday, October 9–Sunday, October 10 — The Playhouse, Canberra Wednesday, October 13 — Astor Theatre, Perth Thursday, October 21 — Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide Wednesday, October 27–Thursday, October 28 — Enmore Theatre, Sydney Tuesday, November 2–Saturday, November 6 — Arts Centre, Melbourne Friday, November 12 — Theatre Royal, Hobart Aunty Donna's The Magical Dead Cat tour will make its way around the country this October and November. For pre-sale tickets until 10am on Thursday, June 17, or for general ticket sales afterwards — and for further information — head to the Aunty Donna website. Top image: Netflix.
For four decades, The Shining has been responsible for many a nightmare — not only due to Stephen King's 1977 bestseller, which helped cement him as a horror maestro, but courtesy of Stanley Kubrick's unnerving and acclaimed 1980 film. If you've ever been spooked by twins, garish hexagonal hotel carpet designs, sprawling hedge mazes, elevators filled with blood, someone shouting "here's Johnny!" or just Jack Nicholson in general, you have this macabre masterpiece to thank. From parodies to homages to overt recreations, The Shining is also the unsettling gift that keeps giving. Everything from The Simpsons to Buffy the Vampire Slayer to Ready Player One has nodded the movie's way — as has documentary Room 237, which attempted to delve into its many secrets, meanings, theories and interpretations, too. But they've got nothing on the actual sequel to the eerie story. It picks up decades later, following the now-adult Danny Torrance as he tries to cope with the fallout from his supernatural gift. (Oh, and the memory of being terrorised by his axe-wielding dad as well.) In the just-released first trailer for Doctor Sleep — which is based on Stephen King's 2013 novel of the same name — all work and no play make Danny (Ewan McGregor) something something. He's perturbed, mainly, as he grapples with the trauma he experienced in The Shining. Then he meets a mysterious teenager (Kyliegh Curran) who also has the gift, and things get creepier than a ghastly woman peering out of a bath or the word 'redrum' written on a mirror. In a teaser filled with references to its predecessor, both of these appear. Rebecca Ferguson, Bruce Greenwood and Room's Jacob Tremblay also star, with The Haunting of Hill House's Mike Flanagan in the director's chair. While King was famously unhappy with Kubrick's take on The Shining — even writing the script for a three-part TV mini-series version in the 90s — here's hoping that he approves of Flanagan's vision. This is actually the filmmaker's second King adaptation, after Netflix flick Gerald's Game. Check out the Doctor Sleep trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFEVyTlTqYo Doctor Sleep releases in Australian cinemas on November 7, 2019.
For a few weeks this winter, Melbourne's Palace Balwyn Cinema, Palace Brighton Bay, Palace Westgarth and Palace Cinema Como will turn extra frosty — on their big screens, that is. Running from Thursday, July 11 through Wednesday, July 31, and marking the event's sixth year, the Volvo Scandinavian Film Festival returns with a suitably wintery showcase of cinema from Europe's coldest climes, featuring 21 films from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland and Finland. Whether you're keen on irreverent comedies, dark dramas or Nordic noir, they're all on the lineup. If you're a fan of Denmark's most popular film series or one of Sweden's hugely successful crime authors, they're on the program too. Sci-fi, rom-coms, character studies, award-winners, festival hits — the list goes on, because Scandinavian cinema is a diverse realm. The 2019 festival kicks off with laughs, as all good things should, thanks to Danish comedy Happy Ending. Next, it heads to Iceland with direct-from-Cannes drama A White, White Day — the latest film from Hlynur Palmason, the director of SFF 2018's Winter Brothers. Also on the bill: the Stellan Skarsgård-starring, Norwegian-made, Berlinale Silver Bear winner Out Stealing Horses; the spaceship-set futuristic Swedish flick Aniara; and, from Finland, the SXSW hit Aurora, about a party girl who befriends an Iranian refugee. Definite highlights also hail from the thriller domain, as Scandi-loving cinephiles would expect. If you saw the first three page-to-screen Department Q instalments at previous festivals, you can see how the series ends with The Purity of Vengeance, which is now the highest-grossing Danish film ever. For those who've read, re-read and watched everything Girl with the Dragon Tattoo-related, make a date with documentary Steig Larsson: The Man Who Played with Fire, which delves into the late author and journalist's archives. As an added bonus, it's screening alongside a retrospective of the original Swedish Millennium Trilogy films, starring Noomi Rapace. Images: Department Q; A White, White Day; Happy Ending; Out Stealing Horses; Sonja.
Take your tastebuds on a trip across Italy without forking out for a plane fare, when this world-renowned showcase of Italian vino returns to say 'ciao' to Melbourne. The Top Italian Wines Roadshow is back for its 16th instalment, descending on Q Events by Metropolis on Wednesday, May 17. This is your chance to swirl and sip more than 200 wines from 50-plus Italian wineries, as you immerse yourself in an afternoon of tastings, masterclasses and more. The lineup's set to trip right through the country's major winemaking regions, celebrating plenty of its leading producers along the way. Across four free masterclasses (12pm, 2pm, 4pm & 6pm), expert wine judges Lorenzo Ruggeri and Giuseppe Carrus will guide punters through a tasting of 15 award-winning pours as they dive into Italy's winemaking history. Then from 5pm, you'll take the reins yourself as you take a spin through the evening's tasting showcase, sampling drops from a huge array of winemakers at your leisure. Lots of these aren't usually available in Australia, so it's your chance to discover some new favourites while chatting to the people who made them. Tickets to the tasting come in at $35.
Here's a scary statistic: in Australia alone, three million coffee pods go into the bin daily. Over eight days, that's enough trash to fill an Olympic-sized swimming pool. Wish your caffeine habit weren't such a messy strain on the planet? We'd like you to meet Tripod Coffee's brand new coffee capsule. Not only biodegradable, these coffee pods are certified compostable, too. Plus, they fit into your Nespresso machine (or the like). After making yourself a brew, simply toss the pod into your green bin, and it'll break down within 90 days at a commercial composting facility — this handy diagram shows how the pod's transformation rate compares to traditional coffee pods. "Traditional capsules are aluminium or plastic with foil lids, but ours are a compostable biopolymer, with a paper lid," says Ed Cowan, who co-founded Tripod with fellow cricket star Steve Cazzulino while in between matches. For the unacquainted, biopolymer is a macromolecule (like protein) that grows inside a living organism. It comes from the Earth, so it's happy to make its return, without leaving a trace behind. That's why Tripod's capsules are different to most others. Sure, there are plenty of other biodegradable pods around, but most of them aren't compostable. "Every compostable capsule by definition is biodegradable," says Cowan. "But not every biodegradable capsule is compostable." The first of Tripod's coffees in the new capsules is The Green Gatsby, a 100% certified organic coffee from Papua New Guinea, and over the next few months, the brand's six other signature blends will follow suit. Find these mean green waste-fighting machines online here. Learn more about Tripod Coffee on their website.
Fitzroy's Grub is teaming up with some of the sweetest folks in town for a series of extravagant weekly high teas. After a sold-out run last year, Sweet Set will again treat punters to an eight-course menu in Grub's upstairs space every Sunday afternoon in August and September. Each week will include four savoury creations from Grub head chef Ben McMenamin paired with with four sweet numbers from a rotating lineup of Melbourne's best pastry chefs. Expect French pastries from Pierrick Boyer, cakes infused with native ingredients from Sticky Fingers Bakery and some next-level baked goods from All Are Welcome's Boris Portnoy, who used to be the head pastry chef at Michelin-starred restaurant Meadowood in the Napa Valley. Vegans haven't been forgotten about, either — they'll get a look in on August 12 when Miss Ladybird Cakes and Citizen Cacao team up to do dual vegan and non-vegan menus. The whole thing costs $79 per person, and includes a glass of prosecco and either a pot of tea or coffee. Sessions will run at 11am, 1.15pm and 3pm each week, and we suggest getting your friends on board now — these pastry parties sold out last year. We promise not to tell your dentist if you promise not to tell ours. SWEET SET 2018 LINEUP August 5 — Bernard Chu, LuxBite August 12 — Gina Tubb, Miss Ladybird Cakes (non-vegan set) with Georgie Castle, Citizen Cacao (vegan set) August 19 — Cassandra Morris, Fig & Salt August 26 — Boris Portnoy, All Are Welcome September 2 — Anthony Hart and Michael Furness, Don't Lose Your Temper September 9th — Hayley McKee, Sticky Fingers Bakery September 16 — Matt Forbes, Cobb Lane September 23 — Andrea Reiss, Bibelot September 30 — Pierrick Boyer
Smith Street eatery, Son in Law, is your destination for a cheap and cheerful Thai fix throughout Good Food Month. Head in on one of six specified nights to feast on the kitchen's authentic fare on the cheap. A $20 note will get you one small plate, one large and a serve of rice, plus for an extra $7, they'll mix you a punchy Mae Khong Sour cocktail. Make a booking by calling (03) 9410 0399.
A four-and-a-half hour opera may seem like a hard sell, but keep reading! Einstein on the Beach is no ordinary theatrical experience. First performed in 1976, combining the talents of three of America's seminal modern artists — composer Philip Glass, stage designer Robert Wilson and choreographer Lucinda Childs — it virtually reinvented opera as an art form. Conceived as a portrait of the 20th century's greatest scientist in sound and movement, the piece follows no storyline but rather seeks to represent Einstein and his ideas through a series of abstract movements with names like 'Night Train', 'I Feel the Earth Move' and 'Spaceship'. Mathematical choruses, abstract poetry, whirling dancers, evocative backdrops wrought in light and, of course, Glass's epic soundscapes combine to make a piece definitive of the modern age. This revival, which last year saw the piece return to stage for the first time in two decades, was overseen by Glass, Wilson and Childs themselves and provides a rare opportunity to see this unique work performed. While the audience are free to come and go during the performance, under the spell of Glass's music the long running time may simply slide by. Time is, after all, relative.
So far this year, Qantas has committed to phase out 100 million disposable items from 2020 onwards — and it's not done with the war on waste yet. This week, it took to the Aussie skies to notch up another milestone: the first zero-waste plane journey. On Wednesday, May 8, the carrier flew from Sydney to Adelaide. That's hardly news, but this flight removed or replaced around one thousand single-use plastic items. Sustainable alternatives were found where possible, and if an eco-friendly version couldn't be sourced, the relevant objects simply weren't included as part of the journey. Teaming up with packaging company BioPak, the airline used fully cups made from plant matter, food containers made from leftover sugar cane pulp, cutlery made from starch sourced from non-genetically modified crops and compostable napkins. It also ditched individually-packaged servings of milk and Vegemite — and collected all packaging for reuse, recycling or composting. At the airport, travellers boarding the flight also used digital boarding passes and electronic bag tags. If that wasn't possible, staff were on hand to ensure that any paper passes and tags were disposed of sustainably. To eliminate the journey's carbon footprint as well, the flight was 100 percent carbon offset. In total, 34 kilograms of waste were saved — with Qantas noting that the route usually creates around 150 tonnes of waste each year. The move comes as part of a widespread push to drastically reduce waste across the air travel industry, which has been gathering significant steam over the past year. In addition to Qantas' efforts, Portuguese charter carrier Hi Fly is aiming to become the world's first no-plastics carrier within the next 12 months, and Etihad flew the world's first long-haul flight free of the pesky products into Australia last month.
Few combinations sound like they could take the edge off winter quite like that of whisky, wine and roaring fire. So things are set to get very cosy when Caulfield Racecourse hosts its annual festival dedicated to this very trinity, from Thursday, July 18 to Sunday, July 21. The second edition of Whisky, Wine & Fire will see punters fending off that Melbourne chill in style, with a program of tastings, fire-driven feasts, hot cocktails and art. A lineup of twelve top Aussie winemakers and eleven distillers will be showcasing their finest winter drops, from boutique shiraz to bone-warming whisky creations. Some of the names you'll see on the boozy lineup include Laphroaig, Maker's Mark, Glenmorangie, Ardbeg and Starward. On the food front, you'll catch a diverse spread of pop-up restaurants, playing with fire to deliver a menu full of heat- and smoke-driven fare. Pastuso's Alejandro will be serving smoky meats and whisky-cured pastrami jaffles, while Charlie Carrington from Atlas Dining will be dishing up smoked ham hock and shrimp gritz. Milk and Cow will also be bringing its many cheeses, Bluebonnet its low-and-slow meats and Tokyo Tina its baos and yakitori. For dessert, Glacé's Christy Tania will have chocolate and whisky lava cakes and sticky date puddings with whisky caramel sauce. The entertainment offering promises to warm those cockles, too — think, live tunes, expert-led booze talks and a theatrical fire sculpture garden to wander through, preferably with a hot toddy in hand. Tickets are $16.50 and include a reusable tasting glass. Whisky, Wine & Fire will run from 5.30–10.30pm on Thursday, 5.30–11pm on Friday, 4–11pm on Saturday and 4–9pm on Sunday. Updated June 18, 2019.
The Other Son attempts to question the passionate attachment to identity that lies at the bloody heart of the Arab-Israeli conflict. Seventeen-year-old Joseph Silberg (Jules Sitruk), the son of Orith (Emmanuelle Devos), a French doctor, and Alon (Pascal Elbe), an Israeli army officer, has spent his youth playing guitar and studying at the local synagogue. He is gearing up to enlist in the Israeli army for compulsory national service when a shock discovery reveals that he is not at all who he, or his family, has always assumed him to be. In the turmoil of a Gulf War evacuation, the doctors at the Haifa hospital in which Joseph was born swapped him with the newborn Yacine Al Bezaaz (Mehdi Dehbi), a Palestinian with an auto mechanic father, Said (Khalifa Natour), and full-time mother, Leila (Areen Omari). Director Lorraine Levy takes a gentle approach, conveying the ensuing drama through a patchwork of scenes that focus on personal reactions and intimate familial relationships. While both mothers reach out to their biological sons, simultaneously retaining maternal love for their 'adoptees', the fathers struggle with denial and anger. Much of the film explores the self-examination undertaken by Joseph and Yacine, and their development of a friendship based on mutual experience. Commendably, Levy raises her questions of individual versus collective identity and religious division versus common humanity without preaching. However, the material tends to sketch, rather than probe deeply. We are left contemplating, but not necessarily as profoundly affected as we might anticipate. For example, one scene depicts Joseph in conversation with his rabbi, confounded that, despite a lifetime of study, he is no longer considered a Jew. In the moment, his fragility and confusion are clear, and we witness him visibly upset around his peers, but the psychological and emotional ramifications of such an upheaval are really only touched upon. Similarly, the heavy political context forms an ever-present backdrop, but the film portrays little of its violent reality. One exception to this is Bilal, Yacine’s fanatical brother. Horrified to discover that he has spent his life sharing a room with 'the enemy', he becomes relentlessly vitriolic towards Yacine yet overwhelmingly accepting of Joseph. We recognise Bilal as symbolic of the fervour that feeds prejudice. Despite these tendencies mitigating its ultimate impact on the emotional level, The Other Son is carried by some highly nuanced and watchable performances. Jules Sitruk brings an arresting vulnerability to the dreamy, creative Joseph and Mehdi Dehbi an impressive strength to the elusive and self-possessed Yacine. Some viewers may find hope in the film's fundamentally optimistic outlook; others may baulk at its slightly simplistic relationship to a conflict that no amount of negotiation or bloodletting seems to be able to bring to an end.
Grab a bite, hunt down a bargain or sit back under the twilight sky and enjoy a show. The Southside’s favourite market-cum-cultural festival is back for another year. Starting at 5.30pm on January 15 and running every Thursday evening for the following seven weeks, The South Melbourne Night Market features dozens of merchants and stalls selling clothes, crafts and everything in-between. There’s also a plethora of dining options, with many of Melbourne’s favourite food vendors including Chingon Taco Truck, Nem N Nem Vietnamese and 196 Below Ice Cream setting up shop along the Coventry and Cecil Street strips. Each week will also feature a different live music act. First up is the La Ramba Flamenco Band along with local singer-songwriter Sarah Carnegie. Other standouts include Geelong funk-rockers The Kite Machine, Queensland folk singer Davy Simony and home-grown indie kids The Black Harrys.
